QUEENS---A high school teacher employed at Cathedral High School in Manhattan has been charged with the statutory rape of one student and the sexual abuse of a second student. Both incidents allegedly occurred in Queens.

Richard Ali, 27, of 91-48 115th Street in Richmond Hill, Queens, employed as a teacher at Cathedral High School, has been charged with three counts of third-degree rape, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of third-degree sexual abuse. If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.

Catholic High is a college preparatory school for young women located at 350 East 56th Street in Manhattan.

According to the criminal complaint, in January Ali had sexual intercourse with a female student under the age of 17 while his vehicle was parked in the vicinity of Long Island City High School.

The District Attorney said that the complaint further alleges that, during the 2006-2007 school year, the defendant placed several phone calls to another student, also less than 17 years of age, and spoke about wanting to have sex with the student. It is also alleged that on Feb. 3, the teacher and the student were together at the Whitestone Movie Cinemas when the defendant began to rub the student's legs and then put his hand up her shirt and rubbed her stomach and breasts.

According to proseuctors, an investigation began this week when one of the students informed a school guidance counselor of the alleged sexual abuse. The guidance counselor, in turn, reported the incident to the school principal, who then reported it to the police.

Ali was arraigned before Queens Criminal Court Judge Robert Raciti who set bail at $40,000, granted orders of protection for both victims and set a return date of April 9. 3-30-07

© 2007 North Country Gazette